Tag Archives: WVFD

Learn more about firefighting at WVFD RecruitNY Open House

9 Apr

We all respect and appreciate the hard work our volunteer firefighters do, and their dedication to protecting our homes and businesses. But few of us have really been behind the scenes to find out more about WHO these local heroes are and specifically what kinds of tasks they perform.

It’s easy to think that volunteer firefighters are larger-than-life figures who spend their entire lives fighting fires and doing nothing else. But those men and women you see in the turnout gear? They’re people like you and me who have normal jobs. They’re bus drivers, teachers, IT professionals, retirees, electricians … and next weekend they are cordially inviting you to meet them in person and — even better — consider joining their ranks.

On Saturday, April 18, the Webster Volunteer Fire Department, located at 35 South Ave. in the Village of Webster, will be hosting a RecruitNY Open House from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the South Ave. station. The informal, drop-in event is designed for community members who want to get involved or simply learn more. There’s no set schedule and no pressure, just an open opportunity to meet the members, explore the equipment, learn about some of the procedures and and see what it means to serve your community.

If you’ve never been in a firehouse, you might be surprised by what you see there. Yes, it’s built to function as an all-hazards emergency response station, but it’s also a place to gather. There’s a workout facility, community meeting space, a big kitchen. … Paul Spatola, one of the event’s organizers, wrote that, “Our members’ kids are running around the firehouse all the time, it’s awesome!” 

Bring your spouse and children along as well, because, obviously, volunteering is not just a personal commitment, but a family commitment as well. So bring along anyone who would be part of your journey. There’ll be plenty to see and experience for all ages.

And don’t worry if you don’t want to be one of those firefighters who actually run into a burning building (but you might!). There’s a role for everyone. Some members serve as interior firefighters, others contribute as exterior firefighters or fire police. Everyone plays an essential role in keeping our community safe.

And also don’t worry — there’s no expectation to commit on the spot. If you’re interested, you’ll be connected with a Webster Fire peer recruiter who can guide you through the process at your own pace, from learning more to applying, to on-boarding. So even if you’re just curious, stop by and ask some questions. You won’t be pressured into anything.

Paul wrote, “So many people do not take the hardest step — applying — because they don’t know what they don’t know. We’re your neighbors. Come say hi and ask us about the department. Ask us why firefighters love being firefighters.”

“We’re looking for people in our community who are interested in doing the hard work, who are team-oriented and goal-focused. People who want a bit of excitement, and a lot of camaraderie. Is it hard? Yes. We do hard things, and we’re good at. We’re proud of our tradition of service to the community. We want our community to be proud of that service, and want them to get involved to support and join us. 

So stop by next Saturday to check out the fire station and meet some of the firefighters. Perhaps you’ll want to join the Webster Volunteer Fire Department family. And by the way, the West Webster Fire Department is also looking for new members, so if you live on the west side of town, reach out to them for more information!

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(posted 4/9/2026)

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March History Bit: Webster’s fire departments

20 Mar

Our West Webster and Webster Volunteer fire departments are both marking notable anniversaries this year. 

The West Webster Fire Department (WWFD) is turning 100 years old in 2026, and the Webster Volunteer Fire Department (WVFD) 120 years old. While the departments now share a century of tradition, each evolved from modest roots into the highly-respected, dedicated community organizations they are today.

West Webster Fire Department

A local tragedy served as the catalyst for the formation of the West Webster Fire Department.

In the early 1900s, bucket brigades were the primary fire suppression system in West Webster. Buckets were hung on the rail at Goetzman’s store (on the southeast corner of Gravel and Ridge) in the event of a fire in the area.  

On January 15, 1925, tragedy struck in the 590 block of Ridge Rd., not far from where the current WWFD station is today. At the time, the closest fire department was in the Village of Webster, who arrived 10 minutes after the call went out. They immediately called for backup from Point Pleasant and Sea Breeze. But despite their best efforts, two buildings, a garage, five apartments and several cars were lost. 

After the fire, a community group called the “Social 20” took on the task of increasing fire protection in West Webster. On May 3, 1926, the West Webster Firemen’s Association held their first meeting. They began with only $75 to the organization’s name, but by the end of the month had raised enough to purchase a Federal truck chassis for $1,000. They built their first truck using parts from a decommissioned Rochester Fire Department chemical hose cart.

The first firehouse was in a garage on Ridge Road. Later, it moved to the southeast corner of Gravel and Ridge roads before finally settling in its current location on Gravel Rd., south of Ridge. The WWFD also operates from Station 2 on Backus Rd. and Station 3 on Plank Rd. 

Webster Volunteer Fire Department

The Webster Volunteer Fire Department kind of started out with an ice cream stand. 

In 1905, the WVFD as we know it today was just beginning to take shape, largely as a direct result of the Village of Webster’s incorporation that same year. That July, the Village Board passed an ordinance allowing the Webster Fire Association to maintain stands in celebration of the Fourth of July. Located at the southwest corner of South Ave. and Main St., the stands served soft drinks, sandwiches and ice cream. 

The following year, on March 23, 1906, a group of village men met to discuss the idea of forming a fire department. The Village Board approved the idea, and the WVFD was officially established, charged with the protection and preservation of property within the corporate limits of the Village of Webster.

Before 1905, as in West Webster, “bucket brigades” were the primary method of fighting fires. Residents would keep leather buckets in their homes or businesses, and when a fire broke out, would form a human chain from the nearest well to the blaze.

The original fire hall in 1907 was a building on South Avenue in the former Jayne and Mason Bank building. In 1908, the first firefighting apparatus was purchased from the town of Williamson. It was a hand-drawn, squirrel-tail pumper, which took 16 to 20 men to operate. That original pumper is now on display in front of the fire station on South Ave.  

A rather ingenious fire alarm system to announce fires was installed in front of the fire hall. It consisted of a steel tire from a locomotive suspended on a cross arm between two telephone poles with a spring mounted hammer and rope attached for ringing. The harsh sound could be heard over long distances and brought firefighters running from all directions. 

The Webster Volunteer Fire Department has served our community from its main station at 25 South Ave. since 1969. Additional stations are located on Salt Rd. and Phillips Rd. 

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(posted 3/20/2026)

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Returns for a Reason makes every bottle and can count

12 Sep

A young Village of Webster boy is making the world a better place, one returnable at a time.

Pierson Farina — not quite 11 years old — has been collecting returnable bottles and cans for a long time, often snagging them out of his neighbors’ recycle bins. At first it was just a way to get a little spending cash and maybe build up his savings. But about three months ago, he decided to double down on his efforts and start putting those nickels to better use.

He established Returns for a Reason, which he describes as “a weekly returnable drop-off and pick-up.” He first decided what organizations he wanted to support: St. Rita School, Spry Middle School, G.R.A.S.P. Animal Rescue, Lollypop Farm, Webster NY Hope and the Webster Volunteer Fire Department (WVFD). Then he made up some flyers and started distributing them to all of his neighbors.

His plan is to make a donation every time he collects $100. In the first three months since he began Returns for a Reason, he’d already reached his first $100 goal. He chose the WVFD by random as the first beneficiary; “I put my finger on (the list) and it landed on the fire department,” he said.

Pierson with Chief Smith and
President Ientilucci

Last Monday, Pierson was invited to the fire station, where he was greeted by Chief Brian Smith, who accepted the donation check. He told Pierson, “That is awesome. That work is truly inspiring. You share the same commitment for the community that the fellow firefighters do, so we definitely appreciate it.”

Justin Ientilucci, president of the Firemen’s Association, was also on hand. As a thank-you, Ientilucci presented Pierson with some “swag” — t-shirts and a cap — telling him, “The world should be filled with a lot more people like you, because a lot of people wouldn’t do things like this, especially at 11 years old.”  

Pierson was also rewarded with a front-row seat on a fire truck for a ride through the village. (You might have heard him sounding the horn.)  

Returns for a Reason is just the most recent example of Pierson’s entrepreneurial spirit. He was only 6 or 7 years old when he started a garbage can toting and cleaning service for his neighbors, a business he’s still running.

“We’ve had discussions about money,” his mother Cathy said. “How it’s good to make money, good to save money and good to help others, too. I think he’s kind of got that mindset that people need help.”

Pierson is well on his way to raising his second $100, which he’s planning to donate to Lollypop Farm. “I’m pretty sure I’m halfway there,” he said. If you want to help out, stash your returnables in your car, and the next time you’re in the village, drive down Dunning Ave. and look for the bin with the Returnables for a Reason flyer attached to the front!

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(posted 9/10/2025)

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WVFD receives pet rescue kits

24 Jan

Thanks to a generous donation from the Fetch Foundation, our Webster Volunteer Fire Department (WVFD) is now better prepared to save pets’ lives — as well as human lives — during an emergency.

Earlier this week, the WVFD received four FIDO Bags, courtesy the Fetch Foundation, an Arizona-based non-profit dedicated to supporting our nation’s pets. Each bag includes an oxygen mask, leashes, leather gloves, a pillowcase (for cats), a water dish, assorted other items to treat pets with minor injuries, and a training DVD.

In cases of fire or automobile accidents, fire fighters already have special tools to administer medical attention to the humans involved. But now they also have the means to save the lives of family pets who are also impacted by the emergency.

Sarah Mossey, WVFD’s EMS Coordinator, facilitated the donation after she saw a social media post by another department about the bags. She considers them a valuable addition to the department’s life-saving tool kit.

“Within the past year Webster has had more than one fire where pets were involved,” Mossey said. “These bags and the training that we will do on them will help us to be better prepared to help all residents (including the furry ones) when they are having one of their worst days.”

There are enough FIDO Bags to place one on each of the department’s engines, which are typically the first units to arrive at a structure fire or traffic accident. They’ll provide firefighters with the ability to administer medical attention to a family pet at the point of rescue.

The Fetch Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving community members and their household pets. Their vision is to place at least one FIDO Bag in every station in the nation. Click here to read more about their mission.

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email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

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(posted 1/24/2025)

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A toast to Barry’s, and a peek inside the new Woofs indoor dog park

22 Jan
Danny and Jess Barry and some of the firefighters at the pub Saturday night

Anyone who knows Barry’s Old School Irish knows how much Danny Barry likes to make toasts to just about anything, often handing out mini shots of whiskey to everyone in the pub when he does.

Last night was no exception, but the occasion was rather exceptional. Saturday night’s whiskey toast was to our Webster firefighters, and the occasion was to present a $1,000 check to the Webster Volunteer Fire Department (WVFD), a portion of the proceeds from last August’s Barry’s Irish Festival.

As an illustration of the bond between Barry’s Old School Irish and the WVFD, Danny pointed out the Barry’s-emblazoned firefighter jacket hanging just inside the front door. “It’s one of our favorite things in this pub,” he said, “a reminder of the friendship we’ve had for the 12 years we’ve been open.”

WVFD Chief Andrew Vorndran accepted the check and spoke for the many firefighters assembled last night, thanking Danny and Jessica for “being family and for always being there for us.”

Barry’s also donated a portion of their Irish Festival proceeds to the Ancient Order of Hibernians in support of their efforts to build an Irish Center in Rochester.

When I stopped into Woof’s Canine Club and Indoor Dog Park on Thursday, things were still in significant disarray. So I was pleasantly surprised on Saturday, when I went back for the grand opening celebration and saw an amazing transformation and an impressive facility.

There’s a very large, astro-turfed area for large dogs to run around in, which owner Christine Gigante had sprinkled with some agility equipment. Fenced off to the side is a smaller area for smaller dogs, and both areas have benches along the walls for the pups’ parents to sit while their dogs play.

But what I really liked was the nice little cafe area and social area, designed for pet owners to relax while they watch their dogs play, and maybe even get to know others. There’s a small work-out area, some retail, and even dog-friendly baked goods.

A steady stream of dogs and their people were coming and going while I was there, and the opening even got some attention from the local TV stations.

On her Facebook page last night, owner Christine Gigante couldn’t hold back her excitement. She wrote,

“Wow! Just wow. We cannot thank you all enough for such an AMAZING DAY! Thank you to 13 WHAM ABC and WHEC TV for coming to cover our grand opening event and to our phenomenal neighbors and partners for supporting us.”

Woofs Canine Club and Indoor Dog Park is located at 187 West Main St. in Webster, in the old World Gym building. Official business operating hours will begin on Wednesday, Jan. 25. Hours will be posted on the Woofs Facebook page, so check back there often for updates.

Here a look inside:

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(posted 1/22/2023)

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Mock DWI scenario taught Webster Thomas students a sobering lesson

27 May

Anyone who happened to drive by Thomas High School Wednesday morning might have been alarmed to see dozens of firefighters, police officers, EMTs and their emergency vehicles swarming around what appeared to be a horrific accident that had just occured in front of the school.

But they needn’t have worried. The realistic accident scene was actually a very carefully arranged and pre-planned mock DWI scenario. It’s organized annually by our local emergency responders as a training exercise, and hosted by the school district during prom and graduation party season as a serious, real-life lesson for our students.

The scene imagined a two-car accident occurring just down the street from the high school, at the corner of Five Mile Line Rd. and Publisher’s Parkway. About 700 juniors and seniors watched from bleachers in the parking lot as School Resource Officer David Herrle described what happened.

It was prom night, and the young driver of one of the cars had had too much to drink. The other driver, distracted by the friends riding with him, didn’t see the drunk driver bearing down on him as he made the turn. He was t-boned.

Somebody called 911, and emergency vehicles started arriving. First a police car, and then a second. Finally, after what seemed like a very long time, an ambulance, two fire trucks from West Webster, and two more from the Webster Volunteer Fire Department pulled up.

As the officers and firefighters surveyed the scene, they found that the distracted driver, who was not wearing a seatbelt, had been ejected. He was lying on the sidewalk nearby, dead. Firefighters placed a sheet over him. Another student in the car suffered a broken ankle and, after getting out of the car, hobbled to the ambulance.

The drunk driver was unscathed, and with some assistance was able get out of her car. Her three passengers, however, had to be removed with the help of the Jaws of Life, an agonizingly long and fightening process if you’re trapped and hurt.

As the firefighters were removing doors and cutting the roof off the car, the young lady who was driving drunk was taken aside by a police officer, given a field sobriety test and arrested.

The whole scenario only took about 45 minutes, but for those who were taking it seriously, they might be among the most important 45 minutes of their lives.

Acerin Menough, a Thomas High junior, was especially surprised by how long it took to get everyone extracted. After the presentation, she told me,

It took a lot longer than I thought it was going to take. I thought it would take maybe like ten minutes for them to get everybody out of the cars but it took an entire block, like 45 minutes to an hour. That was pretty scary, knowing that I could be totally fine driving and then somebody could hit me, and I could end up dying because of it. But I also found it very interesting seeing how they opened the cars and how hard it was to get into the cars.

But Acerin was also bothered by how some of classmates were behaving. When I asked her if she thought everyone else would take it seriously, she said,

“Probably not. A lot of them weren’t paying attention or messing around on their phones, which is really upsetting, because this could save their lives. A lot of them just don’t care and they don’t understand the impact of that.”

Speaking as a mother, I hope the message being shared that day sunk in at least a little bit with everyone. But I know that’s wishful thinking. Young people these days tend to think they’re invincible. Bad stuff like that can happen to someone else, but never to me.

But I couldn’t help thinking back to one of these mock DWI presentations I watched many years ago when I was working at Thomas. In addition to the student actors, the school had brought in the mother of the driver who “died.” She was standing on the school’s front walk when a police officer told her that her son had not survived. As any mother would when given that news, she collapsed with grief. As I watched, I found it easy to imagine how devastated she was, to feel the searing pain of losing a child. I cried, too.

I don’t imagine many high school students read this blog. But if you have one, or know of one, perhaps you can present him or her with that perspective: you might think it’s OK to be cavalier with your life, cut corners and take chances. But think what the news of your hospitalization — or death — would do to your parents.

Thank you to all of the organizations who joined forces to stage this important demonstration: the Webster Police Department, Webster Volunteer Fire Department, West Webster Fire Department, Webster EMS, Northeast Quadrant ALS and Webster Central School District. Thanks also to Wilbert’s U-Pull It for donating the vehicles and Barth Towing for getting the vehicles to and from the accident scene.

The entire scenario will replayed at Webster Schroeder on Thursday June 2 in the back parking lot.

Here’s a slideshow of photos from the event:

  • About 700 juniors and seniors were gathered for the presentation
  • The scenario imagined a t-bone accident not far from the school.
  • The driver of one of the cars was ejected and did not survive
  • Firefighters had to use the Jaws of Life to extract some of the passengers
  • This student had just broken his ankle. Others were more seriously injured
  • This young lady played the part of the drunk driver. Here she is given a field sobriety test.
  • The drunk driver is arrested
  • Another passenger is extracted
  • To get to the last passenger, firefighters had to remove the car’s roof
  • School Resource Office David Herrle narrated the presentation. Here he watches the firefighters work.
  • The last passenger is finally extracted and taken to a waiting ambulance.

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(posted 5/24/2022)

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Training never stops for our volunteer firefighters

31 Jan

When an emergency happens, like a car accident or a house fire, we’re always grateful and relieved to see our local first responders show up to take care of things. But during our day-to-day normal lives, when nothing awful like that is happening, we don’t give them much thought at all.

But rest assured, they’re always thinking about us.

That point was driven home to me a few days ago when I saw a Facebook post from the Webster Volunteer Fire Department, about a joint training exercise they held last Saturday morning with the West Webster Fire Department.

The post read,

The Webster Volunteer Fire Department (WVFD) and the West Webster Fire Department (WWFD) held a joint water rescue training session at the Webster Aquatic Center this morning. Several topics were covered including rescue equipment, techniques to retrieve a victim, and how to secure a victim who has been injured. The training session was capped off with some practice on the Fortuna rescue boat and it was discovered just how precarious it can be when several people try to climb on at once! … We’re here for when you need us, Webster!

The two departments are hoping to schedule joint training sessions like this at least four times this year. The next one will probably be a large area wildland search once the weather improves. In the meantime, the WVFD and WWFD hold weekly drills within their own departments. Recent ones for the WVFD have included search and rescue techniques, driver training, advancements in technology, hazmat, air consumption and many more.

Here are a few more photos from the morning’s exercise:

Thank you to Sarah Mossey for most of these photos.

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Photos from the Trick or Treat Trail

31 Oct

Well, it wasn’t as warm or sunny as we’ve experienced some years, and not as dry as most. But the few showers that we had yesterday afternoon didn’t deter hundreds of kids and their adults from strolling the Village of Webster’s streets during this year’s Trick-or-Treat Trail.

More than two dozen businesses participated this year, as well as the Webster Museum and Webster Volunteer Fire Department, which always uses the day to host its annual open house. The costume contest, modified this year to become a Covid-friendly walk-through event, ran so smoothly that I dare say it might become the norm for future years.

It’s always great to see how much fun the kids have, and how proud they are of their costumes. But I especially like seeing how many adults dress up as well, often as part of a family theme. It’s one of my favorite days of the year.

Many thanks to all the parents who let me stop them in their tracks so I could take photos. There’s more than 150 in my Facebook gallery, so there’s a good chance you’ll see yourself and your kids, or at least someone you know.

I’ve posted a few photos here, but click here to see the gallery.

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Trick-or-Treat Trail and costume contest details

28 Oct

Looks like the weather’s going to be a little bit iffy on Saturday, but nothing is going to stop this year’s Webster Village Trick-or-Treat Trail. ‘Cause we need this to help life return to normal.

As always, the day will begin with a costume contest, but this year it will look a little different. Instead of everyone crowding into the Village Meeting Room for photos and judging, participants are being asked to do a meeting room walk-through. Here’s what I mean:

From 11 a.m. to noon, contestants will enter the meeting room via the parking lot side of the building (behind the fire house), fill out an entry form, be given an entry number, have their photo taken, and exit through the South Ave. side of the building. After all the photos have been reviewed, winners will be notified on Monday Nov. 1. (And I’ll post the winners here as well.)

The Trick-or-Treat Trail proper begins at noon and goes until 2:30 p.m. Grab your kids, get everyone into costumes (including you, too, Mom and Dad), then stroll through the village, visiting friendly merchants who will be handing out candy. This is a great chance to check out some of the newer businesses in town, or even some older businesses you’ve never been in before.

And make sure you stop by the Webster Volunteer Fire Dept., because they’ll be holding their annual open house, complete with demonstrations, free fire hats, and candy of course. And turn the corner on Lapham Park to take the short walk to the Webster Museum. The volunteers there always have something special planned.

Keep an eye out for me and my camera; I’ll be wandering the streets, too, taking photos of as many kids and families in costume as I can. Then I’ll post a really big photo gallery on Monday.

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Time to show our love to the WVFD

22 Aug

If you live in the Village of Webster or on the town’s east side, you probably got one of these flyers in the mail recently.

Don’t throw it out. Or if it already has made it to the recycle bin, go grab it. Because this year more than ever, we need to support our Webster Volunteer Fire Department.

These are the men and women who will drop everything at a moment’s notice when they hear that one of their Webster neighbors is in trouble, rushing to help out in any way they can to — hopefully — make one of the worst days in your life a little better. And not a one of them is paid for their service.

This year, as you know, the annual Firemen’s Carnival was canceled due to the pandemic. That event has always been the fire department’s biggest fundraiser, and losing that influx of cash leaves a huge funding gap.

If you and your family has never required the services of our Webster volunteer firefighters, consider yourself blessed. But if and when that time should come — when you might be having one of the worst days of your life — it’s comforting to know that these dedicated volunteers will rush to your side.

So let’s all show them some love, and throw them some money. It’s pretty easy. Simply log onto www.donateWVFD.org, or complete and mail the envelope that was enclosed in the mailing.

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